Carimi trio reflects on healing process after breakup and pressure of upcoming concert

CAP-HAÏTIEN — Carlo Vieux knew his decision to move from New York to Miami in the mid-2010s would have added another layer of problems to what his band, Carimi, was already facing. But he chose to put his family first and made the move with his wife, son and daughter.

“That’s not one of the reasons why we broke up, but that added some pepper,” Vieux, 47, said. “They didn’t agree with it. ‘Why did you move? You know the business is in New York and that’s where we live together. Now you moved and made it harder for us to rehearse.’”

Vieux also disagreed with some of the dates Carimi was performing, such as during the Christmas holiday, a time he thought he should have been with the family he was creating. 

The two other members of the band, Richard Cavé and Mickael Guirand, had to make some decisions in favor of their families, too. It all added up, and the band eventually broke up in 2016. On good terms, Vieux insisted. 

“We didn’t burn any bridges,” he said.

 “People can’t just think while we’re talking everything is going well. We’re growing gradually. We’re healing. Tomorrow will probably be better than today.”

Mickael Guirand, Carimi singer

Indeed, years after the breakup, even though Vieux was no longer in the music industry, he wanted to perform with his “brothers” again. He talked about it with late fellow singer Michael “Mikaben” Benjamin. However, he never brought it up to Cavé and Guirand because he didn’t know how they would react, especially since they were part of other bands, Kaï and Vayb, respectively.

Old wounds still haven’t completely healed

It took a promoter, Cheyenne Productions, to share the idea of a Carimi reunion with them for the trio to agree to join forces. The group was set to perform at the Accor Arena in Paris in October 2022. All three embraced the idea, but even though the band had broken up on good terms, the members needed to heal from the issues they had battled in the past. The healing process is still ongoing.

“It takes time for things to come back to how they’re supposed to be,” Guirand, 49, said. “Today, I’m not going to say people said sorry; I think time did its job. Everyone acknowledged what they did that was wrong.”

“People can’t just think while we’re talking everything is going well,” Guirand added. “We’re growing gradually. We’re healing. Tomorrow will probably be better than today.”

While the trio itself is still healing, it did not take long for their music to click during the rehearsals before their concert two years ago in Paris. Many who have watched their closed rehearsals are impressed by their chemistry.

“It’s like riding a bike,” Cavé, 48, said. “Even though you haven’t rode a bike in a while, it’s just going to take a short time to get used to it again.”

Indeed, Carimi wowed the crowd at the 20,000-cap Accor Arena, but during the concert, the most tragic thing happened. Benjamin, whom the trio considers the unofficial fourth member of the band, died on stage. Just about 30 seconds before Benjamin died, he shared a hug with Guirand. 

The Trio was hesitant to perform after Benjamin’s death 

After the painful memories of Paris, Guirand was reluctant to perform with Carimi again, despite multiple promoters reaching out to the group. He finally pushed himself to say yes to a concert at UBS Arena in New York on Dec. 27.

“I’m not ready,” Guirand said. “Reliving the last moments, reliving everything that happened, thinking of something we could have done differently. I’m asking myself a lot of questions. We’re not ready.”

Guirand added that the group feels pressured “from the fans, the public, everyone saying [they] have to team up to do certain things.”

The death of Benjamin on stage is also traumatizing Cavé and Vieux.

“You’re always going to get a little fear, a little doubt,” Cavé said. “Sometimes you might ask yourself if this concert is a good idea… But life goes on. I think someone like Mika would want us to keep making music.” 

The upcoming concert will be the first time a Haitian band headlines a U.S. arena. The members of this historic band are grateful to be the ones who opened that door in the Haitian music industry (HMI). 

But even before this achievement, the fans want more. Scores of fans hope the group will schedule more concerts, officially reunite, and make new songs. The group has not completely ruled out that idea, but it’s too early to tell if it would work out, they said.

“You’re always going to get a little fear, a little doubt. Sometimes you might ask yourself if this concert is a good idea… But life goes on. I think someone like Mika would want us to keep making music.”

Richard Cavé, Carimi singer

“We have to take it one step at a time. Remember, we’re slowly piecing things back together,” Guirand said. “Let’s give it some time before we get to that big chapter.”

Cavé echoed the same sentiment, emphasizing the pressure that comes with this upcoming concert; therefore, further events are not guaranteed.

“Until now, all of the guys are still unsettled,” Cavé said. “Even at this second concert, we’re doing it with kè sote (heart racing). We don’t know where we stand. Let’s wait to see how this [concert] goes so we can figure out what we’ll do.”

But for now, for the upcoming concert, the trio is urging fans to come early because it’s not a ball; they will start at 9:00 p.m. ET on the dot. Fans must be in line by 6:00 p.m. ET to be inside the arena before the concert starts.

The group is preparing a spectacular intro, and they say there will be surprises throughout the concert. 

“We’re preparing a great show,” Vieux said. “We have an intro that’s well-calculated and well-planned. I hope the fans will be here for the intro and will watch the entire show. We’re waiting for everyone, and honestly, I can’t wait to play at UBS.”

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Carimi trio reflects on healing process after breakup and pressure of upcoming concert was first posted on December 20, 2024 at 1:30 pm.